"They've arrived already? They seem a bit too eager."
Alkaid stated.
"Our Jiuzhou Warships have already begun delivery, and the Flying Sword business is booming. Plus, with the Southern Region's emphasis on safety and fairness, it has attracted many cultivators and powers from around the world in recent years. Last year alone, the revenue from the Pure Yang Great Pills exceeded 300 million, more than the other three regions combined. Even going back ten years, we've collected 2.4 billion Pure Yang Great Pills, but the tributes paid are still only around 500 million."
Li Hanqiu said, with a hint of emotion, "So naturally, there are those within the Heavenly Dao Sect who are envious."
"Oh, it's broken 300 million?"
Alkaid was somewhat surprised.
"Most of the technical personnel we brought from the Nine Cauldrons Sect have seen huge increases in their cultivation thanks to a large amount of Pure Yang Great Pills. As they started refining Flying Swords and Warships, their skills improved with the tide. Naturally, production has kept up, and now we produce twenty Warships a year, up from just one every twenty years before. The same goes for the Purple Cloud Model 31 Flying Sword."
Li Hanqiu said with a smile, "Especially recently, the Jiuzhou Warship has been proven in actual combat. A fleet relying on the might of these Warships even managed to slay a Hollow Void War Immortal. The battle greatly boosted the reputation of the Jiuzhou Warship and now we receive no fewer than fifty orders annually, and the queue extends a hundred years into the future."
"So the production value has increased that much?"
Alkaid was a bit surprised.
"Twenty years ago, the average strength of the Artifact Refiners was not even at the Foundation Establishment level, but now..."
Li Hanqiu spoke with a smile, "Having earned a large number of Elixirs, they naturally did not skimp on investing in themselves. Currently, any Artifact Refiner close to the technical core has a cultivation level no lower than Core Formation. Core figures like Dong Liu have even reached the Sunburst Golden Core Realm."
After speaking, he added, "Pure Yang Great Pills... truly are miraculous. Without such Elixirs, how could we have cultivated so many top experts in our decades on Northern Sea Star?"
Alkaid nodded.
Pure Yang Great Pills were indeed incredibly miraculous.
"Sunburst Golden Core, huh."
When Alkaid heard this Realm, he showed no particular emotion.
After all, during his decades on Northern Sea Star, he went straight from the Heavenly Fire Realm to the Shattered Void Realm.
If others had only reached the Sunburst Golden Core Realm...
The highest cultivators among them were still revolving around the Blazing White Golden Core, with not one breaking through to the Deep Blue Golden Core. It made sense that he was not deeply moved.
Now, only the Hollow Void could capture his attention a bit more.
"Due to the rapid growth in orders, extending the queue a hundred years into the future, if it weren't for the lack of sufficient personnel, Dong Liu and the others would definitely consider setting up a few more Warship production lines."
Li Hanqiu said with a smile.
As for the flood of orders for the Jiuzhou Warship, Alkaid was not too surprised.
He had a lot of confidence in the performance of the Jiuzhou Warship.
After all, it was something he, as a top Master Artifact Refiner and Array Master, had designed himself.
"Now that we have orders, we need to be careful with the profits,"
Alkaid advised.
"The Warships themselves are categorized as super-large Spiritual Artifacts, priced much higher than ordinary Spiritual Artifacts. The Jiuzhou Warship's performance is not inferior to that of Spirit Treasure Level Warships, but our profit margin is still 3 million, more than 60 million a year. If we can start another production line and increase the capacity a bit more, we're probably looking at nearly 100 million a year."
"Just the Warship industry alone has a profit of over 60 million... That's almost comparable to the somewhat poorer Northern Region."
Alkaid laughed.
No wonder people from the Heavenly Dao Sect were in such a hurry.
The Heavenly Dao Sect's income every period, which is every ten years, is about 5 billion Pure Yang Great Pills.
Out of these 5 billion Pure Yang Great Pills, the amount that must be completely paid to the Sect, or that the Sect can fully control, hovers around 3 billion.
The remaining 2 billion is divided among the Four Domains, managed by the Vice Sect Leaders of the respective domains, to be allocated.
It might seem like a lot at first glance, but in reality, there are numerous industries that require resource expenditure.
Among them, just the maintenance and repair of Formations is a huge expense, and by the time it's divided among the Supreme Elders, it might be around a hundred million each.
A Supreme Elder might have an income of just over a billion Pure Yang Great Pills over ten years.
The Southern Region's Warship industry has an annual income of 60 million, 600 million over ten years, plus revenue from Flying Swords, commercial taxes, and other areas...
Who wouldn't be envious?
As for the huge amount of manpower and material resources that the Southern Region had invested to gain these profits...
Sorry, that wasn't their concern.
All they knew was the Southern Region brought in 3 billion this year!
If this trend continues, one domain alone may surpass the entire income of the Heavenly Dao Sect.
It would be odd not to be envious.
"Let's expand the production line. As for the issue of not having enough personnel... I estimate that we'll soon acquire a batch of talent in Artifact Refining."
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Alkaid stated.
"Where are these people coming from?"
Li Hanqiu was slightly stunned.
"The Southern Region may not have them, but the Heavenly Dao Sect does."
"The Heavenly Dao Sect?"
Li Hanqiu did not understand, but he always carried out Alkaid's decisions without hesitation, promptly saying, "Then shall we expand?"
"Expand."
Alkaid spoke and then turned to the main topic. "What level is this tribute team? Who's leading them?"
"It's just an ordinary team, headed by a Hollow Void War Immortal..."
Li Hanqiu said.
"Then they're still testing the waters, not bringing out the big guns yet."
Alkaid glanced upwards and speculated, "From this, one can deduce that Sect Leader Zong Wenxian has not yet returned. They don't have the guts to stir up a big fuss."
"Does the Sect Leader want to meet with them?"
"A Hollow Void War Immortal wants to come here and take advantage? Forget it!"
Alkaid waved his hand dismissively, "Just say I'm in closed cultivation. Any decisions regarding taxation or changes to the offering quotas should be discussed and decided upon by the Sect Master in a full-scale meeting before being reported to me, otherwise, I do not acknowledge them."
"Then I'll reply just like that."
"Yes, go ahead."
Alkaid said with a nod.
Immediately, Li Hanqiu nodded and left.
After Li Hanqiu had left, Alkaid continued to focus on his Limitless Sword that, although it was still undergoing refinement, was yet to complete its metamorphosis by that one final push.
"After this message gets back, there will surely be dissatisfaction within the Heavenly Dao Sect. After all... the stakes are too high. Now, it remains to be seen who will jump out first to help set the stage," Alkaid thought to himself.
While he had intimidated the Yin Moon Sect and even deterred surrounding forces by exterminating two Shattered Void and one Refining Void Demon Cultivators, clearly, it wasn't enough for the Heavenly Dao Sect.
On one hand, he had relied on the power of the Capital Dragon Slaying Formation to kill those Demon Cultivators. On the other hand...
The Heavenly Dao Sect could easily take the moral high ground and dictate terms in their conflict with him.
Perhaps...
There was also an element of thinking that he was an easy target because of his own people?
Whatever the reason, as the interests in the Southern Region grew, he needed to show his fangs within the Heavenly Dao Sect.
Once he proved himself strong, brought immense benefits to the Heavenly Dao Sect, and reached the Shattered Void Realm himself...
The position of Sect Leader Zong Wenxian would need to be reconsidered.
"I never would have imagined that the young cultivator who was chased by several Hollow Void War Immortals decades ago could rise to such heights in just a few short years," said a crisp voice at that moment.
Upon hearing this sudden voice and the familiarity it conveyed, Alkaid's pupils constricted, and he immediately turned his gaze to the Limitless Sword he was fusing with Dao material.
There stood a barefoot woman with her hair cascading down her back, exuding an indescribable coolness, seemingly inspecting the prime Dao Artifact embryo.
From her every move and every word, she seemed to perfectly align with the way of heaven and nature...
A Dao Lord!
"If it isn't the Penglai Dao Lord herself. Your presence truly graces this humble residence of the Southern Capital Territory Lord," Alkaid said in a deep voice.
Penglai Dao Lord turned around, her face cold and pale as jade as usual.
Looking at Alkaid, it seemed she finally took him seriously. "Had I not come here myself, I would have struggled to imagine that besides your notable talent in cultivation, you've also come so far in Artifact Refining. Although I do not refine artifacts, my perception tells me... your Dao Artifact... is no common piece. Are you attempting to refine a Superior Dao Artifact?"
Having heard her, Alkaid confirmed it.
The Penglai Dao Lord truly did not refine artifacts.
"I want to challenge my limits," he replied with a smile, not providing a clear answer.
"Impressive," the Penglai Dao Lord praised and then remarked, "It's a pity you chose the way of the Void. Otherwise, I might have been tempted to take you as my disciple."
"Though the path of the Void is fraught with strife, it's not all bad."
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The Penglai Dao Lord laughed upon realizing that Alkaid was already considering this issue. "It's not just a matter of strife. Many Dao Lords of the Void are petty. As of now, you have not yet started to Integrate Dao, so it's no issue, but once you begin, those petty Dao Lords will undoubtedly interfere with your path, and those who cultivate the same way will be able to find you no matter where you hide. You won't be able to escape this crisis caused by others.----
Alkaid knew that the Penglai Dao Lord was telling the truth.
The moment he reached the Shattered Void and began to Integrate Dao, he would surely be sensed by other Dao Lords.
Since there is only one ascender for each Great Dao at the Gate of the Immortal Realm...
— to avoid additional competition, the Dao Lords of the Void and other Great Daos would try to locate him and eliminate him just as he begins to integrate.
Unless...
He could hide well enough and in a place far away, and if the speed of his integration was swift enough that he could complete the process before those Dao Lords caught up to him.
"How about we make a deal?" Penglai Dao Lord suddenly said. "When the Gate of the Immortal Realm next opens and after I leave Penglai Immortal Sect, you must step in to protect the survival and development of Penglai Immortal Sect. In return..."
Her eyes flashed with confidence, "When you integrate the Dao, I can protect you. If any Dao Lord tries to attack you, I can stop them all, ensuring they don't harm you in the slightest."